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A new edition of Toland's History of the druids: - Free History Ebooks

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—•420 NOTES.The JDuan Alhmiach gives us (he very name <strong>of</strong> tLe Scots Hlghianders,which <strong>the</strong>y retain to this day;and considering <strong>the</strong> avidity<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Irish to establish that Ireland was Scotland, and <strong>the</strong>Irish <strong>the</strong> original Scots, I (hink it amonnts to demonstration thatthii poem was begun, and had received its title, before this foolishwhim had entered <strong>the</strong> heads <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Irish, and before <strong>the</strong> nameScot was in existence. Had it been o<strong>the</strong>rwise, <strong>the</strong>y would certainlyhave named it <strong>the</strong> Duan Scaotkach.The truth is, that in<strong>the</strong> Irish, as well as <strong>the</strong> Gaelic language, Scotland is uniformlynamed Alha^ aiid <strong>the</strong> inhabitants Albanach, The ChroniconPictonim, a monkish production <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 13th century (as is gene,rally supposed), and composed in Latin, gravely tellsusCetutes Scitice (Scotia) albo crine nascuntur nb assiduis nivibus ; et?'psius capilli color genti nomen dedif^ et hide dicuntur Albani—i. e. " The nations <strong>of</strong> Scotland are born with white hair, on account<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> continual sno^s; and <strong>the</strong> colour <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir hair gavename to <strong>the</strong> nation, and hence <strong>the</strong>y are called Albani.**I havealready shewn that <strong>the</strong> Damnii were <strong>the</strong> most numerous and <strong>the</strong>most widely extended <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Scottish tribes.These were, from<strong>the</strong>ir local situation, denominated Meatach and Albanach^ which<strong>the</strong> Romans and monkish writers latinized Meatce and Albani—i. e. Lozslanders and Highlanders. In <strong>the</strong> Celtic language Alb^or Alp, always signifies a height ;and its adjective Albanachy orAlpanach, always signifies high. Alb (generally pronouncedAlp) is <strong>the</strong> radix <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Latin Alpe^ Albus, &c. This name is<strong>of</strong> great antiquity. Alba is <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> a town in Latium, and<strong>of</strong> ano<strong>the</strong>r in Pannonia. We have Alba, a river in Spain; Alhania,a town <strong>of</strong> Arabia Felix;Albania, a region reaching from<strong>the</strong> Caspian Sea to <strong>the</strong> Palus Pvlajotis; Albanus, <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> «,hill in Latium, and <strong>of</strong> two towns, <strong>the</strong> one in Macedonia, and<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r in Armenia Major; Alhia, a hilly district borderingon <strong>the</strong> Carni; Alb'u, <strong>the</strong> ancient name <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Alps; Albtona, atown <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Llgures ; Albis, <strong>the</strong> ancient name <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Elbe, kc.In Great Brifain I need only m,entIon Albion, Breadalbanc,DrumaVoan, Glen^nior-im li'Alahin, Alba, Albanach, &c.Thepninify <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se names, and many more which could be adduced|

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